The hottest new weight-loss method chills to kill the flab, instead of melting it with heat based lasers.Tests have shown that just one treatment is capable of destroying up to 25 percent of fat cells in the area. Fresh from the US, this innovative machine goes by the name of Zeltiq, and uses a cooling method called cryolipolysis to target, chill and break down fat cells, reports the Daily Mail. Developed by researchers at the Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, Zeltiq has proved a massive hit since being introduced a year ago and now it’s coming to Britain. Experts are heralding the non-invasive procedure as a revolutionary new concept in weight loss. “For years, we’ve been heating fat to melt it away,” says New York dermatologist David Goldberg, who was involved in the clinical trials of Zeltiq. “Now it appears that the opposite approach is more effective than other non-invasive procedures.” “The cryolipolysis process gradually extracts body heat from the subcutaneous levels of fat (the layer that lies just under the skin),” explains Goldberg. “The temperature of the fat cells goes right down to zero degrees celsius - literally freezing them. Extremely low temperatures kill the fat cells without affecting either the skin or muscles. The dead cells are then removed naturally by the body through the liver.” For those with stubborn pockets of flab, the treatment could be a godsend. Patients are seeing impressive results on thicker and smaller areas of fat, such as love handles (the fat on the side of the hips), pot bellies and back rolls. Unfortunately, Zeltiq is less effective at attacking larger zones of fat found around the bottom and thighs, but makers say they are working on an applicator to target these regions. Those after a quick fix will be disappointed to learn that inch-loss is not immediate. It can take anything from two to three months for the dead fat cells to naturally leave the body through the urine, and results to appear. Debbie Scott, an events organiser from Chelsea, West London, is one of the first in Britain to try Zeltiq. She says: “I workout regularly and eat well, but the bulge of fat on my lower stomach area just doesn’t respond to exercise, so this treatment seemed perfect for me.” “During the hour-long session, a suction device was secured on to the fat on my tummy. When the machine was switched on, the fatty area was gently sucked up between the cooling panels. “My skin gradually became really cold and then went numb. I was told that this process slowly extracts energy from the fat, causing it to freeze, crystalise and die. It felt pretty uncomfortable, but it didn’t hurt.” “A month on, and I am amazed that I have already lost the chunk of flab on my lower tummy. I can even see my stomach muscles again. If the fat continues to drop off over the next few months, it will be fantastic.”